Carrollton district picks superintendent search firm

Published
12:00 am CDT, Wednesday, October 24, 2012

CARROLLTON - Midwest School Consultants has been selected by the Carrollton School Board to conduct the search for a new district superintendent.

The School Board chose MSC of Springfield, the low bidder of seven firms that submitted proposals, at a special meeting on Oct. 17. The proposals ranged in cost between $3,500 and $12,500. The School Board's special committee narrowed the field to three companies, and all three were interviewed by the full board.

"Each of the three firms presented in open session. The Q-and-A session followed each presentation," Carrollton School District Superintendent Beth Pressler said Tuesday. "This allowed the board to get acquainted with the representatives from each firm and provided time to address questions that arose during the presentations."

Bill Phillips, a retired school superintendent who lives in Belleville and teaches at the University of Illinois in Springfield, made the presentation for MSC, which submitted the least costly proposal.

"In the end, the board chose MSC. The board identified with the local candidate and was most comfortable with his fee of $3,500," Pressler said. "The board was highly impressed with the other firms, but distance, commonalities and higher costs weighed into its decision."

Pressler said School Board President Chad Craig plans to work with Phillips to develop focus group services.

"The board is particularly interested in focus groups that would provide feedback or input during the initial part of the search process," she said. "Phillips provided no focus group services, and the board hopes to make this a part of the complete process."

The School Board hopes to complete the search for a new superintendent by February or sooner. Pressler announced last month that she will retire next June 30, at the end of her fifth year as Carrollton superintendent.